Friday, March 13, 2015

LAURA ROGHAAR

(This feature is part of TRUCK’s Theme Issue on the List or Catalog Poem. You can go HERE for an Index of the Participating Poets.)

Partial List of Turkeys
Pardoned [edit]

2002: George W. Bush
pardoned the first-ever female turkey in the ceremony, Katie, a 30-pound bird
bred by Ron Prestage, Chairman of the National Turkey Federation, as well as
alternate bird Zack. The turkeys were named after Prestage's children.[8]

2003: Bush pardoned
Stars and backup Stripes[9]

2004: Bush pardoned
Biscuits and backup Gravy.

2005: Bush pardoned
Marshmallow and alternate bird Yam, raised in Henning, Minnesota. Beginning in
2005 pardoned birds were sent to Disneyland to live and serve as the
"honorary grand marshal" of that year's thanksgiving day parade.[10]

2008: Bush pardoned
45-pound backup "vice" turkey named Pumpkin, after the number one
turkey Pecan fell ill the night before the ceremony. Both turkeys were allowed
to live.[13][14]

2009: Barack Obama
pardoned Courage, a 45-pound turkey provided by the National Turkey Federation,
and alternate bird Carolina, raised in North Carolina.[15]

2010: Obama pardoned
Apple, and alternate bird Cider.[16] Both had died of natural causes by
Thanksgiving 2011.[7]

2011: Obama pardoned
a 45-pound turkey named Liberty and an alternate bird named Peace, both of
which were raised in Willmar, Minnesota. [17] Peace survived until shortly
before Thanksgiving 2012, when he was euthanized.[18] Liberty survived until
being euthanized April 26, 2013 at the age of 2. [19]

2012: Obama pardoned
Cobbler and Gobbler, both 40-pound turkeys from Rockingham County,
Virginia.[20][21] Gobbler died suddenly in February 2013; Cobbler was
euthanized on August 22 of that year.[3][19]

2013: Obama pardoned
Popcorn, a 38 pounds (17 kg) turkey from Badger, Minnesota. Popcorn won an
online contest over its identically sized stablemate Caramel, which was also
spared.[22]